Affairs of the Arts

By staff | December 1, 2003

Sarasota serves up an intoxicating brew of theater, music and performing arts for those with a thirst for culture. Something inspiring, entertaining or both is happening just about every night of the year, at a variety of venues and price points as well. Our small city has an outsize reputation... Read more »

Sarasota serves up an intoxicating brew of theater, music and performing arts for those with a thirst for culture. Something inspiring, entertaining or both is happening just about every night of the year, at a variety of venues and price points as well.

Our small city has an outsize reputation for exceptional arts organizations, including a world-class symphony, opera and ballet, international chamber music, concert bands and a jazz festival, all of which attract international artists to their stages.

The Sarasota Film Society's Cine-World Festival brings the best of international and independent cinema to the city in November, and in January, the Sarasota Film Festival attracts major Hollywood stars and industry insiders to more than a week of special events and screenings.

The Van Wezel, that purple landmark along downtown's bayfront, continues to delight audiences with a diverse calendar of singers, Broadway plays and musical guests, and a flock of professional and community theaters perform repertoires packed with dramatic, musical and comedy selections.

We also host a number of educational institutions, including a rapidly growing branch of the University of South Florida; the state's honors college, New College of Florida; and Ringling School of Art and Design, a four-year design and arts institution.

Banyan Theater Company, 358-5330. Professional company offering summer theater at Sainer Pavilion on New College campus.

FSU/Asolo Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 351-8000 or 351-9010. Home to professional Asolo Theatre Company, FSU/Asolo Conservatory of Professional Actor Training and Sarasota Ballet of Florida. Mainstage schedule of plays runs from November to June.

Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. 366-9000. Professional contemporary theater presents four mainstage plays each winter season plus cabaret season next door; staged readings of new plays and special season each summer.

Circus Sarasota, 355-9335. One-ring circus presents performances Feb. 6-29 under the Big Top at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds.

FILM

Sarasota Film Festival, 508 Central Ave., Sarasota. 364-9514. Annual film festival offers several days of new movie screenings downtown each January, some premieres.

Sarasota Film Society/Burns Court Cinema, 955-FILM or 364-8662. SFS presents international films in its Burns Court location in downtown Sarasota. Also sponsors November Cine-World Festival.

ARTS EDUCATION

Manatee Community College, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton. 752-5000. The Fine and Performing Arts department at MCC includes instruction on art, photography, film, music and theater. Many local students begin their artistic education here, then proceed to four-year institutions like New College and Ringling School of Art and Design.

University of South Florida at Sarasota (USF), 5700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 359-4200. More than 20 full-degree programs, including arts and sciences.

CAFÉ SOCIETY

In the mood for a little light-hearted entertainment over dinner in a turn-of-the-century Paris cafe? You can experience that without leaving Sarasota, thanks to Florida Studio Theatre's Goldstein Cabaret on Palm Avenue.

FST opened the cozy little 109-seat theater, with its two-level seating design (you watch the show from café tables) and warm brick façade interior, in 1996, and since then has presented more than 40 different shows there. Most have been musical revues, salutes to composers including George Gershwin, Jacques Brel and Irving Berlin; some have been one-person shows telling the stories of greats like blues singer Alberta Hunter or Sophie Tucker, "Last of the Red Hot Mamas." And some have stressed comedy, like Laughing Matters or Stan Freeman's At Wit's End. More recently, FST has also presented its new Improv Troupe there, inviting audience participation and expanding the definition of traditional cabaret shows. Occasional late-night performances are also offered.

The cabaret's menu changes from time to time, but may feature such entreés as crab cakes, chicken quesadillas or lasagna, with appetizers, salads, sandwiches and desserts, such as chocolate truffle layer cake and fresh-baked sugar cookies, also available. Dessert coffees and a full bar, too.